Accused child rapist, 84, enters plea

Daniel Tepfer

Published 11:15 pm, Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Joseph Livramento, an 84-year-old Cape Verdean, nabbed by police when he came back to see his eye doctor after being on the run for six years for allegedly raping a 7-year-old local girl, pleaded not guilty to sexual assault charges on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2013.
Photo: Bridgeport Police Department

BRIDGEPORT -- An 84-year-old Cape Verdean, nabbed by police when he came back to see his eye doctor after being on the run for six years for allegedly raping a 7-year-old local girl, pleaded not guilty to sexual assault charges Tuesday.

"I need a translator, I need a translator," Livramento said in English, looking about the Main Street courtroom.

The judge then entered not-guilty pleas on behalf of Livramento to the charges of first-degree sexual assault, fourth-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor, and continued the case to Oct. 9.

Livramento, who police said fled the country after the girl complained to a school counselor of the alleged assault, was arrested Sept. 5 by members of the U.S. Marshal Violent Crime Fugitive Task Force outside a West Haven ophthalmologist's office.

He is being held in lieu of $350,000 bond.

Police Detective Robert Martin, a member of the task force, said authorities received a tip that Livramento was coming back to the U.S. to see his eye doctor.

The West Haven doctor was apparently the only one he trusted to examine his eyes," said Martin.

Task force members waited in the parking lot outside the doctor's office and arrested Livramento without incident as he drove in.

In September 2007, Livramento had been visiting the girl's family from Cape Verde, when he offered to help the girl with her math homework, according to the arrest warrant affidavit. He then threw her to the floor and raped her, it states.

On another occasion Livramento groped the girl while she was working on a book report on "Charlotte's Web," the affidavit states.